Shotokan Kata
THE HISTORY AND ORIGINS OF MODERN DAY
KATA
The purpose of this page is to develop a comprehensive
information base on the history and origins of each of the modern day Shotokan
Karate Kata.To help develop the information base contributions are invited
from everyone. However when contributing please provide where possible your
source of information. This is not essential and should not be seen as a
bar to unsourced material.All today's kata have been created from 24 originals
which were grouped between the three Okinawan schools of Naha-te, Tomari-te
and Shuri-te.When referring to the origin of a kata the names Gojo-ryu,
Shorin-ryu and Shito-ryu may be used. Naha-te developed into Gojo-ryu (the
hard and soft school) which is how it is still known today whilst Shuri-te
and Tomari-te merged, in the late nineteenth century, under one name Shorin-ryu
(flexible pine school). It is from Shorin-ryu that Shotokan Karate, one
of the most widely practised styles today, has developed. Shito-ryu is a
combination of the three ancient arts of Naha-te., Shuri-te and Tomari-te.The
same kata may be known by a number of different names. Most will have an
original Okinawan name and a corresponding Japanese name. Some may also
have Chinese names.The Japanese names were given to the kata by Sensei Funakoshi
in the early 1900s for political reasons when karate was introduced to Japan.
These names being more acceptable to the Japanese.Sensei Funakoshi in his
book Karate do Kyohan makes mention of this change of names :
The names of the kata have come down to us by word of mouth. Names
in use in the past included Pinan, Seishan, Naifanchi, Wanshu, Chinto and
the like, many of which had ambiguous meanings and have led to frequent
mistakes in instruction. Since karate is a Japanese martial art, there is
no apparent reason for retaining these unfamiliar and in some cases unclear
names of Chinese origin simply because of earlier usage. I have therefore
changed those names I considered to be unsuitable after considering the
figurative nature of the old masters' descriptions of the kata and my own
study of them.
The list of original 24 kata are as follows:
| Chinte |
Chinto (Gankaku) |
Lorei (Meikyo) |
Jiin |
Jion |
Jutte (Jitte) |
| Kururunfa |
Kushanku (Kanku) |
Matsukase (Wankan) |
Naihanchi (Tekki) |
Niseishi (Nijushiho) |
Ouseishi (Gojushiho) |
| Passai (Bassai) |
Saifa |
Sanchin |
Sanseru |
Seienchin (Saipa) |
Seipai |
| Seisan (Hengetsu) |
Shisochin |
Sochin |
Suparumpei |
Unsu |
Wanshu (Enpi) |
Although these kata are known to originate from the three
ancient Okinawan styles the exact origin is unknown. It is believed, however,
that they can be grouped as follows :
Naha-te
| Kururunfa |
Naihanchi (Tekki) |
Saifa |
Sanchin |
Sanseru |
| Seienchin (Saipa) |
Seipai |
Seisan (Hengetsu) |
Shisochin |
Suparumpei |
Shuri-te
| Chinte |
Kushanku (Kanku) |
Ouseishi (Gojushiho) |
Passai (Bassai) |
Tomari-te
| Niseishi (Nijushiho) |
Sochin |
Unsu |
Tomari-te and Shuri-te (equally practised)
| Chinto (Gankaku) |
Jiin |
Jion |
Jutte (Jitte) |
| Lorei (Meikyo) |
Matsukase (Wankan) |
Naihanchi (Tekki) |
Wanshu (Enpi) |
Shotokan Karate Kata
In addition to the Taikyoku and Heian kata there are 21
advanced kata practised by the Shotokan style, these coming from 16 of the
original list of 24 ancient kata. Each of these will be covered individually
in the following pages. The following kata will be included :
Before the origins of the kata can be considered it is
essential that the reader has a general understanding of the origin of modern day karate and how the
different styles have developed over the years.
